The ancient Egyptians enslaved Hebrews, Babylonians, and other war captives. Slaves worked in the Pharaoh's palace and the houses of nobility. A few rose to high office in service of the Pharaoh—such as Joseph, also famous for his colorful coat. Many years after Joseph, Moses led the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt into freedom.

In 1250 A.D., slaves rose to rule Egypt. These slaves, the Mamluks, were Turks brought to Egypt as slaves in the early 1200s. Egyptians gave them military training and positions of power in the army and government. After seizing power, the Mamluks conquered several nearby countries. They lost power just 67 years later, when Turkey invaded Egypt.